Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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The present invention relates to a method and apparatus
for mechanically removing aged-wax and fur firmly deposited on a
coated surface of a vehicle without any substantial requirement
for manual work.
As used in the present invention, "aged wax" means waxes
that have aged and become stained wlth atmospheric dirt or rain-
water taken into a wax layer which has baen previously applied
as a thin coated protective film on a surface of a vehicle, and
"fur" means inorganic materials such as calcium dissolved in
water, that has been deposited on and penetrated into the vehicle
surface, and has re-emerged in a darkened for~l thereon.
When the coated surface oE a vehicle is to be newly waxed
Eor protection and polishing, the color inherent in the paint-
coating is difficult to restore merely by re-waxing the coated
surface over the aged wax and the fur still present thereon.
For the purpose of mechanically removing the aged wax and
the fur, a known removing apparatus includes a yate-type frame
which travels astride a vehicle back and forth in the longitud-
inal and which is provided with a rotaxy brush arrangement, a
dryer, a clear water sprayer, a neutralizer-containing rinse
water sprayer and an aged-wax and fur removing material spreader,
as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid~open
No. 157456/86.
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70488-12
With the prior art apparatus, the vehicle is brushed
during first advance and return movements of the gate-type frame
to remove dirt from the vehicle, and an aged-wax and fur removing
material is spread and rubbed onto the surface of the vehicle by
brushing to release the dirt during second advance and return
movements~ Further, during third advance and return movements,
only the brushing is continued to enhance the releasing effect
on the fur and the aged wax, and during fourth advance and return
movements, clear rinse water is sprayed onto the vehicle, follow-
ed by drying of the surface thereof. This prior art apparatusis accompanied by the following problems. It is necessary -to
move the gate-type frame in four reciprocations Eor completion
of all the steps, resulting in a decreased efficiency. Moreover,
during the fourth advance movement, the spraying of the
neutralizer-containing rinse water onto the vehicle is not con-
ducted prior to the brushing and hence, the effect of the
neutralizer therein cannot be satisfactorily enhanced by brushing.
Additionally, because the step of rinsing with clear water after
spraying of the neutralizer-containing rinse water is conducted
only durin~ the fourth returning movement, the rinsing effect is
not satisfactory.
~;UMMARY OF THE IMVENTION
The present invention has been attained with the above
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circumstances in view, and it is an object of the invention to
provide a method and apparatus for removing an aged wax and fur
on a vehicle, wherein the problems associated with the prior art
apparatus can be overcome.
To accomplish the above object, in a first aspect of the
present invention, there is provided a method for removing aged
wax and fur from the surface of a vehicle by a washing machine
including a gate-type frame which is movable astride the vehicle
back and forth in over the length of the vehicle and which is
provided with a rotary brush arrangement, a dryer, a clear water
sprayer, a neutralizer-containing rinse water sprayer and an aged-
wax/fur removing material spreader, comprising the steps of:
brushing the vehicle by said rotary brush arrangement
during a first advancing movement of the gate-type frame;
spreading an aged-wax/fur removing material onto the
; vehicle by said aged-wax/fur removing material spreader, while atthe same time brushing the vehicle by said rotary brush arrange-
ment during a first return movement and second advancing movement
of the gate-type frame;
brushing the vehicle by said rotary brush arrangement
during a second return movement of the gate-type frame;
holding the gate-type frame out of operation for a given
period of time following said second return movement to perform
readjustment of the brushing during said period of out-of-
operation;
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spraying a neutralizer-containing rinse water onto the
vehicle by said neutralizer-containing rinse water sprayer, while
brushing the vehicle by said rotary brush arrangement, and then
spraying clear water onto the vehicle by said clear water sprayer,
during a subsequent third advancing movement of the gate-type
frame; and
spraying clear water onto the vehicle by said clear water
sprayer and then drying the vehicle by said dryer during a third
return movement of the gate-type frame.
Further, in a second aspect of the present invention,
there is provided an apparatus for removing an aged-wax and fur
on a vehicle, comprising as components:
a gate-type frame movable astride the vehicle back and
forth over the length of the vehicle;
a rotary brush arrangement mounted on said gate-type
frame for brushing the vehicle;
first and second aged-wax/fur removing material spreaders
mounted on said frame for spreading an aged-wax/fur removing
material in foamed form onto the vehicle;
a neutralizer-containing rinse water sprayer mounted on
said frame for spraying a neutralizer-containing rinse water onto
the vehicle;
a clear water sprayer mounted on said frame for spraying
clear water onto the vehicle;
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a dryer moun-ted on said frame for drying the vehicle; and
a control device for con-trolling movement of said frame
and opera-tion of said indi~idual components,
said first and second aged-wax/fur removing material
spreaders being arranged in front and rear of said rotary brush
arrangement, respectively, so as to sandwich the rotary brush
arrangement therebetween, said neutraliæer-con-taining rinse water
sprayer and said dryex both being disposed at front portions of
said gate-type frame, and said clear water sprayer belncJ disposed
at a rear porti.on o.E said cJate-type frame.
A prewashing step, an aged-wax and fur removing step, a
neutralizing step, a rinsing step and a drying step can be
successively performed in the strokes of a mere three re-
ciprocations o the gate-type frame and through a simple read-
jus-tment effected during a dwe~l period given in the course of
such strokes. Therefore, aged-wax and fur can be mechanically
removed without requirement for substantial manual labour and
within an extremely short time, and this largely contributes to
an increase in working efficiency. In addition, par-ticularly
since the neutralizer-containing rinse water sprayed onto the
vehlcle during the third advancing movement can be satisfactorily
rubbed onto the vehicle by brushing, the effect of the
neutralizer therein is enhanced. Further, since the rinsing step
using clear water following the spraying of the neutraliæer-
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70488-12
containing rinse water is conducted over a relatively long period
(i.e. the strokes in one entire reciprocation provided by the
third advancing and return movemen~s) the rinsing effect is also
enhanced.
Further according to the present invention, in carrying
out the rinsing step over both strokes of one reciprocation
(provided by the third advancing and return movements), the clear
water sprayer at the rear portion of the gate-type frame can be
commonly used.
Therefore, each of the sprayers is simpl:ified in construction
and is also easy to control.
The abova and other Eeatures and advantages of the
invention will become apparent from reading of the following
description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings wherein:-
Figure 1 is a side view in longitudinal section of awaching machine;
Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating-a piping
system for aged--wax/fur removing material spreaders, a clear water
sprayer and a neutralizer-containing rinse water sprayer; and
Figures 3 to 8 are views for illustrating operated condit~
ions in se~uence, Figures 3(a) to 8(a~ being schemetic side views
and Figures 3(~) to 8~b) being schematic plan vie~s.
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70488-12
~eferring first to Figure l, a car washing machine l comprises
a gate-~ype or portal frame 2 mounted to straddle a vehicle (not
shown). The gate-type frame 2 is movable along travel rails 3
laid on the ground sideways of the vehicle, i.e., movable in
opposite directions as indicated by an arxow 4 longitudinally
with respect to the vehicle. As used in this description, "front
side" of the gate-type frame 2 means the front side in the advanc-
ing direction (right side as viewed in Figure l), and "rear side"
means a rear side in relatlon to the advancing direction (leEt
side as viewed in Figure l).
The gate type ~rame 2 is provided with a rotary brush
arrangement B, a dryer D, a cleaner spraying device C, and a wax
applicator W, these components serving to fulfill functions con-
ventionally possessed by the washing machine l, i.e., process
functions such as washing, wax applicating, and drying functions.
The rotary brush arrangement B includes a rotary brush
S for the vehicle upper surface and a pair of rotary brushes 6
for side surfaces. The upper surface rotary ~rush S is swingably
supported through a swingable arm 9 on a transverse shaEt 8
rotatably supported on the gate-type frame 2. A motor lO is
mounted on the swingable arm 9 at its upper portion, so that the
upper surface rotary brush S is rotably driven from the motor lO
through a transmission mechanism within the swingable arm 9. In
addition, a sprocket ll is fixedly mounted on the -transverse shaft
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8, and an intermediate shaft 12 is rotatably supported on the
gate-type frame 2 below the transverse shaft 8 and has another
sprocket 13 fixedly mounted thereon. An endless chain 14 is
passed around both the sprockets 11 and 13, and a piston rod 17
in an air cylinder 16 supported at its lower end on the gate-type
frame 2 is connected to a fitting 15 secured to the chain 14 at
an intermediate point thereof. Thus, if the air cylinder 16 is
driven to retract the upper surface rotary brush 5 can be held
at an upper retracted position, as shown by the two-dot chain line~
On the other hand, if the air cylinder 16 is brought into an in~
operative condition, the rotary upper surface brush 5 can be f.reely
swung back and forth w.ith respect to the gate-type :Erame 2 about
the transverse shaft 8.
Each of the two side surface rotary brushes 6 has a rotary
shaft 18 held on a cylindrical holder 19 which is secured to a
movable frame 20 with its axis vertical. The movable frame 20 is
in slidable engagement with a guide rail 21, which is transversely
suspended on the gate-type frame 2, and has a support shaft Z2
rotatably carried on the gate-type frame 2. Thus, the guide rail
21, the movable frame 20, the cylindrical holder 19, the rotary
shaft 18 and the side surface rotary brush 6 are swingable about
the support shaft 22 in the travelling direc-tion 4. A motor 23 is
carried on the movable frame Z0, and an-endless chain 26 is passed
around a sprocket 24 fixedly mounted on an output shaft of the
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motor 23 and a sprocket 25 fixedly mounted on an end of the
rotary shaft 18, so that the rotary side surface brush 6 may be
driven for rotation by the motor 23.
The drier D comprises a pair of side air-blower nozzles
27 opened inwardly at opposite sides of the gate-type frame 2,
and a top air-blower nozzle 28 opened downwaraly at an upper
portion of the gate-type frame 2, these air-blower nozzles 27 and
28 being connected to an air blower 29. The top air-blower nozzle
28 is operable for raising or lowering movement by lift-drive
means (not shown) dependin~ upon the~!level of the vehic:Le to be
dri.ed.
The cleaner spraying device C comprises a plurality of
spray nozzles 47 provided in a cleaner supply header 46 mounted
on the gate-type frame 2, and the wax applicator W comprises a
plurality of spray nozzles 49 provided in a wax supply header ~8
mounted on the gate-type frame 2.
Such rotary brush arrangement s, dryer D, cleaner spraying
device C and wax applicator W are those conventionally provided
on the known car washing machine, and their constructions are
also well known.
Here, to provide the car washing machine 1 with the
function of removing aged wax and fur, first and second aged-wax/
Eur removing material spreaders Ml and M2 are mounted on the gate-
type frame 2 respectively in front of and to the rear of the
rotary brush arrangement B to sandwich the latter therebetween,
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70~88-12
and a neutralizer-containing rinse water sprayer Rl and the dryer
D are mounted on the front portion of the gate-type frame 2 in
close proximity to the first aged-wax/fur removing material
spreader Ml. ~n addition, a clear water sprayer R2 is mounted on
the rear portion in close proximity to the second aged-wax/fur
removing ma-terial spreader M2.
Referring to Figure 2, each of the aged~wax/fur removing
material spreaders Ml and M2 comprises a plurality of spreader
nozzles 33, 34 facing the vehicle (not shown) and attached to a
gate-type supply header 31, 32 supported within the gate-type
frame 2. The spreader nozzles 33 and 3~ are attached respectively
to the supply headers 31 and 32 in such a manner that the spread-
ing direction thereof may be adjusted and moreover, opened areas
thereof are set at a relative large value. Each of the
neutralizer-containing rinse water sprayer Rl and the clear water
sprayer R2 comprises a plurality of spray nozzles 37, 38 facing
the vehicle and attached to a gate-type supply header 35, 36
supported within the gate-type frame 2.
Connected to the aged-wax/fur removing material spreaders
Ml and M2 are a water supply pump P, an air source A, an aged wax/
fur removing material reservoir tank Tl and an under-coating-wax
reservoir tank T2. More specifically, a ~irst solenoid valve Sl
and a first ejector El are connected to the water supply pump P,
and a second solenoid valve S2, a reducing valve Cv and a second
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~3(~5~3~ 7O488-l2
ejector E2 are connected to the air source ~. The first ejector
El is perpendicularly connected to the second ejector E2. ~ third
solenoid valve S3 is connected to the aged-wax/fur removing
material reservoir tank Tl, and a fourth solenoid valve S~ is
connected to the undercoating-wax reservoir tank T2, these solenoid
valves heing in parallel and perpendicularly connected to the
first ejector El. Further, the second ejector E2 is connected
through a ~ifth solenoid valve S5 to a central upper portion of
the supply header 31 in the first aged-wax/fur removing material
spreader Ml and also through a sixth solenoid valve S6 to a cen-tral
upper portion of the supply header 32 in the second aged-wax/fur
removing materi.al spreader M2~
The water supply pump P is connected through a seventh
solenoid valve S7 and a third ejector E3 to a central upper
portion of the supply header 35 to supply water to the neutralizer-
containing rinse water sprayer Rl and also through a eigth solenoid
valve S8 to a central upper portion of the supply header 36 to
supply water to the clear water sprayer R2. In addition, a
neutralizer reservoir tank T3 is perpendicularly connected to the
third ejector E3.
The aged-wax/fur removing material stored in the reservoir
tank Tl acts on the aged was and the fur to facilitate removal
thereof from the coated surface and is a strong alkaline solution
containing an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, chelating
agent, an alkali salt and a solvent of glycol ether (an ethylene
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70~88~12
glycol monoalkyl e-ther is used in the embodiment). As described
hereinafter, the solution is diluted to a pH of 12 to 14 with
watex and mixed with air in the aged-wax/fur removing material
spreaders Ml and M2 and -then spreaded ovex the coated surface in
foamed form. Because -the aged-wax/fur removing material is water-
soluble, a neutralizing step and a rinsing step which are described
hereinafter can be easily and reliably carried out, and it is also
possible to immediately proceed to the step of spreading the aged-
wax/fur removing material without incorporating a drying step
subsequent to the predrying step (during a first advancing movement).
E'or the neutralizer stored in the neutralizer reservoir
tank T3, use is made of an acid exhibiting a pH oE 4.5 to neutral-
ize the alkaline aged-wax/Eur removing material (preferably, an
organic acid having little eEfect in corroding me-tal). Such
neutralizer is sprayed from the neutralizer-containing rinse water
sprayer Rl in the form of a liquid of a pH of 4.5 to 5.0 resulting
from the mixing with clear water.
The operations of such rotary brush arrangement B, dryer D,
cleaner spraying device C, wax applicator W, neutralizer-containing
rinse water sprayer Rl, clear water sprayer R2 and first and
second aged-wax/fur removing material spreaders ~1 and ~2, as well
as the travelling of the gate-type frame 2 are controlled by a
control device 39 mounted on the gate-type frame 2 (see Figure 1).
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704B8-l2
The ope~atlon Oe thls embodiment will be described below
witll reference to Figures 3 to 8, wherein Figures 3~a) to 8(a)
given at the upper side illustrate schematic side views, and
Figures 3(b) to a (b) given at the lower side illustrate schematic
plan views, respectively
First Advancing Movement
In removing the aged wax and fur from the ~urface of a
vellicle V, a ~tart key (not ~hown) oE the aontrol device 39 for an
aged-wax/fur removlng ~tep is depre~sed ~rhi8 causeB the gate-
type Erame 2 to advance as lndlcAted by tl~e arrow in FLgure
DurJn~ thl~ advanoLng movement, only tl~e ei'gh~l ~olenold valve S~
among the solenold valves Sl and S~ 1~ maintaLned in an opened
condition, and the rotary brush arrangement ~ and the clea~er
spraying device C are operated Thu~, the conventionally well--
known brushing i~ applied to the ~urface o'c the vehicle, and clear
water is sprayed thereon from the clear water sprayer n2, thereby
removing ~ouling on the vehicle surfaoe Isuch a~ mud) other than
fur and aged wax If the tempera~ure of the vehicle surface is
too high, then a cooling e~fect can also be achieved by the water
D _ ng First Returning Movem nt
The gate--type ~rame 2 having completed i~s ~ravel is
; returned as indicated by the arrow in Figure 9. During ~his re-
turning movement, the first, second, third and sixth qolenoid
valve~ Sl, S2, S3 and S6 are opened, while the fourth, Eifl-h,
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70488-12
seventh and eigth solenoid valves S4, S5, S7 and S8 are maintained
closed, and the rotary brush arrangement B is driven. Thus, water
from the water supply pump P, with the aged-wax/fur removing
material drawn thereinto in the first ejector El, is passed into
the second ejector E2 where the resulting mixture is transformed
into a foam by air from the air source A. The foamed aged-wax/fur
removing material is supplied to the supply header 32 of the second
aged-wax/fur removing material spreader M2 and then spread in a
foam through the individual spreader nozzles 34 toward the vehicle
V. In this case, since the opened area of each nozzle 34 is set
at a relative large value t the aged-wax/fur removing material is
deposited onto the surface of the vehlcle V without breakin~ of the
bubbles therein. Spreading of the aged-wax/fur removing material
in the form of a foam is to prevent this material from immediately
flowing downwards and to assure a reaction time sufEicient to lift
the fur from the surface of the vehicle V to provide a uniform
treatment surface. Experiments have shown that the transformation
into foam made it possible to provide a removal effect far
superior to that achieved in the case where the removing material
was spread merely in the form of a liquid.
Brushing performed simultaneously with the spreading of
the aged-wax/fur removing material by the rotary brush arrangement
B provides an effect similar to that provided by manual rubbing-
off and enables the removing material spread toward the vehicle V
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70488-l2
to be substantially uniformly deposited over the entire surface
of the vehicle V.
Second Advancing Movement
Subsequently, the gate-type frame 2 is advanced as
indicated by the arrow in Figure 5. During this advancing movement,
the sixth solenoid valve S6 is closed, and the fif-th solenoid
valve S5 is opened. This causes foamed aged-wax/fur removing
material to be supplied from the first aged-wax/fur removing
material spreader Ml toward the vehicle V, and further, brushing
by the rotary brush arrangement B is carried out~ In this manner,
the aged-wax/fur removing material is sufficiently spread onto the
surface of the vehicle V during -travel of the gate-type frame 2 in
one complete reciprocating movement thereof.
When the gate-type frame 2 has reached the right end shown
in Figure 51 the first, second, third and fifth solenoid valves Sl,
S2, S3 and S5 are closed. That is, all the solenoid valves Sl to
S8 are brought into the closed states to complete the spreading of
the aged-wax/fur removing material.
Second Returning Movement
After spreading of the removing material, the gate-type
frame 2 is returned as indica-ted by an arrow in Figure 6. During
~his second return movement of the gate-type frame 2, only the
rota~y brush arrangement B is in operation, so that residual aged
wax and fur still remaining on the vehicle surface are removed
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70~88-12
completely owing to passage of a sufficient period of time for
reaction and by brushing operation.
Dwell Period
When the gate-type frame 2 has been returned to the left
end shown in Figure 6, operation of the rotary brush arrangement
s is halted, and the gate-type frame is held out of operation for
a given period of time, e.g., for 5 minutes. During this time,
those portions of the vehicle surface which are difficult to brush
by the arrangement B are manually treated.
Third Advancing Movement
AEter cessation of the gate-type frame 2, start keys (not
shown) of the control device 39 Eor the rinsing and drying steps
are depressed. This causes the gate-type frame 2 to advance as
indicated by an arrow in Figure 7. During this thlrd advancing
movement of the gate-type frame ~, the seventh and eigth solenoid
valves S7 and S8 are opened, while the first to sixth solenoid
valves Sl to S6 are maintained closed, and the rotary brush
arrangement B is driven. After the neutralizer-containing rinse
water has been sprayed from the neutralizer-containing rinse water
sprayer Rl toward the vehicle V, the surface of the vehicle V is
subjected to brushing, and clear water is then sprayed from the
clear water sprayer R2 toward the vehicle V. In this way, the
neutralizer-containing rinse water sprayed from the Rl is brought
fully into contact with the entire vehicle surface due to the
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70488-12
brushing effect, so that the vehicle surface i.s effectively
neutralized and then, any excess removing material, the lifted-off
aged wax and fur and the like are washed from the surface of the
vehicle V by the clear water from the clear water sprayer R2.
Namely, a first rinsing of the vehicle surface is effec-ted. It
should be noted that by setting each of nozzles 37 and 38 of the
sprayers Rl and R2 at a small opening size and mounting them in an
increa~ed number, it is possible -to spray the neutralizer-containing
rinse water and clear water all over the surface of the vehicle V.
Alternately, ~he third advancing step may be automatically started
by timer means operated at the end oE the second return step,
rather than being started by manually operating the start keys as
described above.
Third Returning Movement
Next, the gate-type frame 2 i9 returned a$ indicated by
: the arrow in Figure 8. During this third return movement, -the
seventh solenoid valve S7 is closed, whila the eighth solenoid valve
S~ is opened, and the dryer D i8 operated. This causes cl.ear water
to be sprayed from the clear water sprayçr R2 toward the vehicle V,
so that a second rinsing of the surface of the vehicle V is effected.
Because the fouling and the fur on the surface of the vehicle V
have been already removed at this point, the rotary brush arrange-
ment B remains inoperative in order to avoid damaging the paint
surface. ~he surface of the vehicle V washed by the clear water is
3L 3~ 5~3L~, 7 0 4 8 ~--12
. .
,. ..
drled by the dryer D. When the gate-type rame 2 has reached
the left end shown ln Figure 8, the ~gh-th solenoid valve S8 i9
closed, and the operation of the dryer D is termlnated, thereby
completing a series of the aged-wax and ur removlng step~.
Waxin~ Step
Then, a manual waxing or a wax-cleaning by the convention-
ally well-known car-washing machine is conducted as required.
During the second advancing and returning movements of
the gate-type frame 2 in the aged-wax and fur removing step, if
the travelling speed Oe the gate-type frame 2 i9 reduced ~o a level
lower than that during tlle first advancing movement by a hertz
inverter (not shown) mounted, or example, within the control
device 39, the brushing effect can he further enhanced, and the
aged wax and fur can be removed suiciently well as to require
no brush-readjustment work.
To alert a worker to co~mence readjustment after halting
of the gate-type fxame 2, an alarm device such as a buzzer 50 may
be mounted on the gate-type ~rame 2 above the control device 39,
AS shown in E'igure 1.
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